Cowart, Lawrence

COWART, Lawrence

Rambo

Lawrence Rambo Cowart, a legendarily generous spirit and Georgian of the first order, died September 2, of heart failure. But what a heart it was, full of generosity, irreverent humor, and unbound love. Asked how he wanted to be remembered, he simply said "For us loving each other."

Lawrence was born in Cuthbert, Georgia, and raised in Arlington, Georgia, descended from the founding families of the South. He spent his youth there surrounded by a large, chaotic, and loving community of family and friends. The stories of Lawrence's time growing up are family lore, the tales passed down through succeeding generations. He was an excellent student and athlete, and always intended to make his way in the wider world.

Lawrence started that journey in 1952, leaving Arlington to enroll at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in physics, having survived Kepler's Movement of Heavenly Bodies. Lawrence proudly remained a Tech man his entire life, counting his ATO fraternity brothers among his closest lifelong friends.

Lawrence's professional career started haphazardly. A first job at IBM in New York City ended with a skiing accident and his related decision to attend the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. In 1963 Lawrence joined The Coca Cola Company, where he would craft a remarkable career until his retirement in 2000.

He served in many positions as he rose through the company, playing key roles in many of the seminal moments of that storied company. Lawrence was instrumental in conceiving enduring innovations in the relationship between The Coca Cola Company and its bottlers, convincing Coke brass that the company should guide the ownership of bottling companies. He was tapped to help lead the launch of Coca Cola Enterprises as that company's first Chief Financial Officer. Lawrence led the largest initial public offering in history as of 1987, offering 51 percent of CCE's ownership to the public. He returned to The Coca Cola Company in 1991 in the role in which he would serve until retirement: "doing deals" as he was apt to say, more formally, as Vice President and Director of International Business Development. Perhaps most importantly, Lawrence cherished developing people and teams. The legacy of his leadership and mentorships endures in the halls of Coca Cola today, and many of his colleagues became lifelong friends and sources of support.

Lawrence cared most to be remembered for the unconditional love, fun, and faith he inspired in the world. There is no greater evidence of that than the families and communities he built. His first marriage, to Ramona Landry, ended after ten years, though it produced a great gift, the first of his five children, a daughter, Courtney. Ramona's flair and joy stayed with Lawrence the rest of his life. In 1971 he met Kathleen Boylan, a New Orleanian living and working in Washington DC. The two were married in Middleburg, Virginia, the starting line of a joyful forty four year journey. They chose to settle in Ansley Park, the Atlanta, Georgia, neighborhood that became home for the rest of their lives together. 18 Park Lane evolved into a place of comfort and celebration for many. The family grew over the years, with four boys, Julian, Robin, Simon and Oliver, coming into the world to join Courtney. He raised them to have purpose, commitment, and a strong moral compass, and Lawrence, through the arc of his life and theirs, managed to always be present for his family. He and Kathleen created homes in the mountains of North Carolina and the Luberon Valley of Provence full of friends, excellent food, well-tended bars, warm fireplaces, and love. Lawrence and Kathleen's love affair remained joyful and loving to the end, until her death in 2016.

In the spring of 2018 Lawrence met Terry Brown who, like Lawrence, was the devoted parent of five children. Lawrence and Terry quickly found friendship, comfort, and love, marrying later that year. Lawrence adored this new community, with the marriage bringing forth new friends and family. Terry's four children, McKenzie, Fiver, Walker, and Terry, along with their families, and sustaining the loving memory of her son and their brother Angus, joined Lawrence's to create a new clan. Lawrence and Terry created a new home, a beautiful and welcoming space in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. They created new traditions as well, opening the doors to children and grandchildren for holidays, birthdays, and Sunday dinner. Terry and Lawrence spent the last happy years of his life doing what they loved: exploring the world, crafting beautiful spaces, lingering over a drink with friends and family. They loved each other fiercely, with Terry lovingly caring for Lawrence through the end.

Lawrence reveled in being a grandfather, welcoming grandchildren to the mix with exponential love and joy. "PapaTata", as known to his Cowart grandchildren: Lawrence II, Leena, and Teddy, and "Bobo", to his grandchildren: Walker, Georgia, Otis, Amos, Daisy, Finley, Georgie, and Angus of the Brown line, welcomed generations to gather in the kitchen, enjoy a fire, roam the halls, and live a joyful childhood.

Lawrence lived a life of faith and generosity, dedicating time, resources and treasure to causes small and large. After begrudgingly agreeing to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church, he came to find great solace, guidance, and friendship there. At The Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, his church home for almost 50 years, Lawrence served as Senior Warden of the Cathedral Chapter, shepherding the Cathedral through a time of growth and turmoil. Lawrence, with Kathleen, dedicated himself to the success of the Cathedral Bookstore, serving as buyer and de facto CFO for the cherished place.

Lawrence served as a driving force for countless causes. He played an instrumental role in state and national politics, serving as Vice Chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party under Governor Jimmy Carter, and working tirelessly in the inner circle of Carter's brain trust to see him elected President. Lawrence helped found the Emmaus House Study Hall, and was an ardent supporter of the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation. He served on many boards throughout his life, notably for Atlanta University during the merger with Clark College. All of that paled to the uncountable personal gestures he would make to friends, family and those in need.

Lawrence's kind heart guided him in all things to the very end and could always be counted on. Though it has failed physically, it and all it encompassed will be remembered with reverence as a triumph in all the ways that endure. A Memorial Service to celebrate his life will be held at The Cathedral of St. Philip, in Atlanta, GA, on Friday, September 22, 2023, at 2 PM. An interment will follow in the memorial garden. In lieu of flowers, gifts in loving memory of Lawrence may be made to The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305. www.cathedralatl.org,